Do it. Go on the once-in-a-lifetime safari! We had the most epic time on our safari in Kenya with the Safari Collection. We stayed at Solio Lodge, which is actually inside the Solio Game Reserve, meaning animals roamed the actual property, sometimes right outside our windows! It’s Kenya’s first privately-owned rhinoceros sanctuary, but you’ll see so much more than rhinos here. We saw a rare leopard the first day, lions the second and third days, monkeys and baboons all the time, and so many white and black rhinos! As with most trips, though, I learned a few things along the way that would have been better to know in advance. Here are the best tips for your safari with the Safari Collection!
Game drives start early!
I am an early bird. However, now that I have a toddler in tow, my mornings are a bit more hectic! Between the morning feeding, my need to workout, and the jet lag, it was a little rough getting out of bed and ready to go for a 6:00 or 6:30am game drive. Luckily, The staff at Solio Lodge were very flexible for us. We started our morning game drives at 7:00am, which worked well for our situation! You’ll see the animals pretty much any time of day, but you want to beat the mid-day heat and sun. We were usually back to the Lodge by 10:00 or 10:30am, then we had time for ourselves until the evening game drive, which started at 4:30pm.
More here: Why It’s Pays to be an Early Bird on Travel
Mosquito repellent, sunscreen, and hand sanitizer are available in the vehicle.
We brought all these items with us, but we didn’t need them! Solio Lodge provides all this, both in your room and in the vehicle you’ll use for game drives and day trips. I wish we hadn’t packed these things, because they took up precious space, and you can only take so much with you on the tiny plane from Nairobi to Wilson, which is the airport closest to Solio Lodge. All these items are also natural and locally made at Cinnabar Green Essential Oil Farm, which you can visit while you’re here.
Keep reading: Why You Should Visit Cinnabar Green in Kenya
Don’t worry about what colors you wear.
I had read a few articles and heard from other safari travelers that you should avoid certain colors for a safari, either for camouflage purposes, or bug repellent purposes, or a variety of other reasons. I asked the Safari Collection representative about this, however, and guess what? It doesn’t matter what colors you wear! Mostly they said to avoid white because the Kenyan dirt is red, and the dust factor is real. Plus, if you visit in the rainy season like we did, the mud is incredible! Keep these things in mind, but don’t worry too much about what colors you wear. The lions don’t care! And, most importantly, guests get daily, complimentary laundry service.
Keep reading: 10 Things You Forgot to Pack for Your Safari
The driver and spotter have binoculars you can use.
Binoculars were listed on many a safari packing list, but I don’t own any, and I was trying really hard not to pack anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary. My phone has a pretty good zoom function, and I thought we’d be able to get pretty close to the animals we wanted to see. The one time we did need to be able to see something far away, however, guess what? Our driver and spotter had binoculars we could use! No big deal. Don’t worry about bringing them to Solio.
Read next: What It’s Like Staying at Solio Lodge in Kenya
Water is included.
It’s so important to stay hydrated all times of year in Kenya. It’s also important to drink only bottled or filtered water while you’re there. And in fact, we received our own water bottles, labeled with our names, which were magically refilled every day! We also had our fill of fresh fruit juices, milk for my 20-month-old daughter, Kenyan coffee, and really anything else we requested. Don’t stress about water, and honestly, don’t even bother bringing a water bottle!
More here: Tips for Feeding the Giraffes at Giraffe Manor
You can take two game drives per day.
Or just one, or zero. But you should definitely take all the game drives you can! As mentioned above, your morning game drive can start early, so be mentally prepared for that. Your evening game drive will need to start early enough to get you back to the Lodge by sunset. (You don’t want to be out on the Savannah after dark, even in a safari vehicle.) I’m so glad we did two game drives three out of the four days we visited, because we got to see so many elusive animals. We saw a leopard our first day, but never again. We saw lions from two different prides. We saw an ostrich! The rhinos are the star of Solio, but there are so many other majestic African animals to see. You want to give yourself plenty of opportunities.
Read on: What It’s Like to Visit the Solio Rhino Orphanage
Bush breakfast can be whatever you want it to be.
This was the most overwhelming part! When the guys asked what we like to eat for breakfast, we gave them several options, never thinking they would make everything we listed! We had to ask them to make less the second day! Wow. It was amazing, delicious, incredible… But it was also so much. It would almost have been easier if they had just given us 3-4 choices to choose from. We had pancakes, eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage, fruit, yogurt, juice, coffee, toast, oatmeal, and maybe a few other things I’m forgetting! All of it was amazing.
Keep eating: The Best Things We Ate at Solio Lodge
What’s a sundowner?
Afternoon or evening safaris come with a “sundowner,” so what’s that? It’s a snack with a view! Much like the bush breakfast, you’ll set up in a safe, open area, with rhinos, zebras, baboons, and more animals within sight. Each evening, after seeing large game and before heading back, our spotter and driver set up camp chairs and a small table for us, then provided savory snacks and water while we watched the wildlife roam around in front of us. It ended up being one of our favorite parts of the game drives.
Also Helpful: What to Do if You Get Sick on Travel
Have your camera ready!
Wildlife is wildly unpredictable. That’s why you’ll need to have your camera or phone ready to go at less than a moment’s notice. Sometimes the animals will simply be laying around, and you can get as many shots as you want. But when they start to move, that’s when you can get some action shots–including videos! Be sure to experience the moment you’re living, of course, and remember that “the best shot is the one you got!” You want those photos, but you want to have the memories, too.
Also helpful: The Best Travel Photography Tips
You can sit on the roof!
This was fun! Not every safari company offers this, but Solio Lodge by the Safari Collection does. We loved getting up there to see everything, completely unobstructed. There are seatbelts up there, and you do have to buckle yourself in, for safety reasons. Not into sitting on the roof? You can still stand up in the car and pop your head out for photos if that feels safer to you!
Read next: What to Pack for a Toddler on Safari
Want more? Check out my dedicated Kenya Page!
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